A Citizens' Assembly, examining the idea of a directly elected Mayor for Dublin, is expected to be approved by cabinet.
Senior ministers will also consider an assembly on biodiversity this morning.
Previous plans for a directly elected mayor for Dublin were scuppered by Fingal County council, which rejected the proposal.
The plan needed the backing of the four local authorities in the capital to get the go-ahead.
The assembly will have 40 randomly selected members that will examine the idea of a direct election for a mayor and the local government structures that would best suit the capital.
Meanwhile, a 100-member assembly will be established to look at biodiversity loss and how to respond to it.
Both assemblies will run at the same time with their first meetings in April. They will have a nine month window to issue a report.
Reporting by Seán Defoe
